Starting Friday, the company will suspend "approximately 500 flights," affecting approximately 100,000 passengers.
Air Canada, Canada's largest airline and one of North America's largest, has begun canceling dozens of long-haul international flights in preparation for its flight attendants to go on strike Saturday.
At a press conference in Toronto on Thursday, Air Canada's chief operating officer, Mark Nasr, said that while Thursday's cancellations will only affect several dozen routes, starting Friday the company will suspend "approximately 500 flights," affecting approximately 100,000 passengers.
"All flights will be suspended early Saturday morning. This approach will help limit the impact of the strike by allowing as many passengers as possible to complete their journeys," said Christophe Hennebelle, the company's communications director.
"More importantly, it will help facilitate an orderly restart, which, under the best of circumstances, will take a full week," he added.
Hennebelle suspended the press conference after a group of flight attendants began a silent protest in the media lounge.
Some 10,000 flight attendants at Air Canada, North America's fifth-largest airline, have informed the company they are prepared to go on strike Saturday amid stalled negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement.
The negotiations, which began eight months ago, focus on working conditions and wages.
Workers have pointed out that over the past 25 years, flight attendants' base pay has only increased by 10%, despite inflation rising by 169%. Furthermore, flight attendants are not paid for much of the work they perform on the ground, such as boarding and deplaning passengers.
Air Canada, Canada's largest airline and one of North America's largest, has begun canceling dozens of long-haul international flights in preparation for its flight attendants to go on strike Saturday.
At a press conference in Toronto on Thursday, Air Canada's chief operating officer, Mark Nasr, said that while Thursday's cancellations will only affect several dozen routes, starting Friday the company will suspend "approximately 500 flights," affecting approximately 100,000 passengers.
"All flights will be suspended early Saturday morning. This approach will help limit the impact of the strike by allowing as many passengers as possible to complete their journeys," said Christophe Hennebelle, the company's communications director.
"More importantly, it will help facilitate an orderly restart, which, under the best of circumstances, will take a full week," he added.
Hennebelle suspended the press conference after a group of flight attendants began a silent protest in the media lounge.
Some 10,000 flight attendants at Air Canada, North America's fifth-largest airline, have informed the company they are prepared to go on strike Saturday amid stalled negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement.
The negotiations, which began eight months ago, focus on working conditions and wages.
Workers have pointed out that over the past 25 years, flight attendants' base pay has only increased by 10%, despite inflation rising by 169%. Furthermore, flight attendants are not paid for much of the work they perform on the ground, such as boarding and deplaning passengers.